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Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

zfailla@dailyvoice.com

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Equal parts Lois Lane, J. Jonah Jameson and Vicki Vale, Zak! has traveled from coast-to-coast covering small and big town community news in both in print and online for nearly a decade since his graduation from the award-winning Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College in 2010.

Before settling into the Hudson Valley, Zak! previously spent time in the New York Daily News newsroom and worked for hyperlocal digital news outlets on Long Island. He wrote sports for The Ithacan and The Ithaca Journal before taking his talents to the Pacific Northwest, where he served as the sports editor at the Shoshone News-Press until heading back east to work with Daily Voice.

Zak Failla's Contributions

Business
Car Crashed Through Storefront, But This Maryland Restaurant Is Back And Ready To Celebrate Car Crashed Through Storefront, But This Maryland Restaurant Is Back And Ready To Celebrate
Car Crashed Through Storefront, But This Maryland Restaurant Is Back And Ready To Celebrate A popular Greek restaurant in Maryland is ready to welcome back customers just weeks after a car plowed through its storefront, forcing it to close for repairs. Big Greek Cafe in Urbana has officially reopened, restaurant officials announced, and the comeback will culminate with a Grand Reopening and Greek Independence Day Celebration on Monday, March 25. The restaurant temporarily shut down after a car crashed through the front of the business in the 3200 block of Bennett Creek Avenue in January officials said. Two people, including the driver and a guest inside the restaurant, were evalu…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
‘American Idol’ Contestant From Virginia Brings Judges To Their Feet With Showstopping Audition ‘American Idol’ Contestant From Virginia Brings Judges To Their Feet With Showstopping Audition
‘American Idol’ Contestant From Virginia Brings Judges To Their Feet With Showstopping Audition A Virginia gymnastics instructor is trading tumbling for the spotlight after delivering a show-stopping performance that left Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood in awe. Grayson Torrence, 21, of Providence Forge took the stage with a jaw-dropping rendition of "Fall in Line" by Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato during her audition, which aired on Sunday, March 16. Her performance had the judges smiling and grooving along, while her mom, anxiously listening from outside, excitedly whispered, "Beautiful ... She's hitting it!" The judges were blown away—and when it came time to vo…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Manhunt Underway For Suspect Who Tried To Kidnap Woman At Knifepoint In Mechanicsville: Sheriff Manhunt Underway For Suspect Who Tried To Kidnap Woman At Knifepoint In Mechanicsville: Sheriff
Manhunt Underway For Suspect Who Tried To Kidnap Woman At Knifepoint In Mechanicsville: Sheriff A knife-wielding maniac is on the loose in Maryland, and police are urging residents to stay vigilant. The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is on the hunt for an armed and dangerous suspect accused of trying to kidnap a woman in broad daylight before she managed to fight him off and escape. The attack happened around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, March 17, in the 28000 block of Old Village Road in Mechanicsville, officials said. According to investigators, the unknown man approached a woman, assaulted her, pulled a knife, and attempted to force her into his vehicle. But she wasn’t going without …

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Winning Numbers For Monday, March 17 Powerball Drawing With Estimated $398M Jackpot Winning Numbers For Monday, March 17 Powerball Drawing With Estimated $398M Jackpot
Winning Numbers For Monday, March 17 Powerball Drawing With Estimated $398M Jackpot The winning numbers have been announced for the Monday, March 17 Powerball drawing. The estimated jackpot is $398 million with a $185.7 million cash option after no jackpot was claimed in the previous drawing. The jackpot will continue to roll until the next drawing at 10:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19 with a $416 million jackpot. The winning numbers for Monday's drawing were 11-18-23-38-60 with a Powerball of 09 and the Power Play was 2X. Lottery players have a 1 in 292,201,338 chance of winning a Powerball jackpot by matching all five balls plus the Powerball, accord…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Cop Shooter In Custody, Wounded Officer Released After Attack At Catonsville Precinct: Police Cop Shooter In Custody, Wounded Officer Released After Attack At Catonsville Precinct: Police
Cop Shooter In Custody, Wounded Officer Released After Attack At Catonsville Precinct: Police A man accused of ambushing and shooting a Baltimore County police officer outside a precinct is behind bars, while the wounded officer has been released from the hospital, authorities announced. Andrew Britt, 27, has been charged with multiple offenses, including two counts of attempted first-degree murder, for allegedly opening fire on officers in the parking lot of the Wilkens Precinct on Thursday, March 13, Baltimore County Police said. Investigators say Britt approached an officer outside his patrol vehicle around 2:30 p.m. and began speaking with him. Moments later, he pulled out a gun…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Mercedes Driver With DUI History Found Passed Out At Wheel Clutching Beer In Stafford: Sheriff Mercedes Driver With DUI History Found Passed Out At Wheel Clutching Beer In Stafford: Sheriff
Mercedes Driver With DUI History Found Passed Out At Wheel Clutching Beer In Stafford: Sheriff A Stafford man with multiple DUI convictions started his Saint Patrick’s Day celebration early—and landed in jail—after deputies say they found him passed out behind the wheel of a Mercedes, clutching an open Bud Light. Deputies responded to Wawa, located on Austin Park Drive, for a drunk driver complaint at approximately 2:51 a.m. on Friday, March 14, Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said. The car was blocking two gas pumps, and the driver was slumped over. When deputies arrived, the vehicle was still in drive, with only the driver's foot on the brake keeping it from rolling away, authorit…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Drunk Driver Crashes Into Maryland State Trooper's Vehicle on I-695 In Lutherville​: Police Drunk Driver Crashes Into Maryland State Trooper's Vehicle on I-695 In Lutherville​: Police
Drunk Driver Crashes Into Maryland State Trooper's Vehicle on I-695 In Lutherville​: Police A Maryland State Trooper had to be rushed to the hospital after being struck by a suspected impaired driver who cut across two lanes of traffic on I-695 in Baltimore County, authorities announced. Harriet Penniman Van Kleeck, 63, of Towson, is facing multiple charges after allegedly plowing her Honda HRV into a fully marked police cruiser with its emergency lights activated late Friday night, according to Maryland State Police. The trooper, assigned to the Golden Ring Barrack, had just completed a traffic stop around 11:30 p.m. on March 14 when Van Kleeck’s vehicle veered across lanes betwe…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical
Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical The show must go on—even when the ceiling comes crashing down. Magruder High School drama students in Montgomery County are raising money to recover from an unexpected disaster after a chunk of the auditorium ceiling collapsed mid-performance during their spring musical, forcing them to relocate, organizers said. The Magruder Drama Department was in the middle of their second performance of "Once Upon A Mattress" when a section of the ceiling suddenly fell, sending a scare through the audience.  Despite the unexpected chaos, the student performers powered through without missing a bea…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Motorcyclist Hits The Ground After High-Speed Police Pursuit In Calvert County: Sheriff Motorcyclist Hits The Ground After High-Speed Police Pursuit In Calvert County: Sheriff
Motorcyclist Hits The Ground After High-Speed Police Pursuit In Calvert County: Sheriff A Virginia man’s dangerous attempt to outrun deputies on his motorcycle in Maryland ended with him in handcuffs after he crashed in a failed getaway attempt, officials said. Tyler Anakin Grover, 20, of Hampton, is facing multiple charges after allegedly leading deputies on a high-speed chase through Calvert County, nearly causing several head-on crashes in the process, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators say that a deputy spotted Grover’s motorcycle speeding at 83 mph in a 55 mph zone while recklessly weaving through traffic on Route 4 on the wrong side of the road. When the d…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Bathroom Barricade Ends Badly For Drunken Suspect In Stafford McDonald's: Sheriff Bathroom Barricade Ends Badly For Drunken Suspect In Stafford McDonald's: Sheriff
Bathroom Barricade Ends Badly For Drunken Suspect In Stafford McDonald's: Sheriff A Stafford man is facing multiple charges after allegedly going on a drunken rampage that ended with him barricading himself in a McDonald’s bathroom, authorities announced. Ryan Reid, 31, was arrested after a chaotic series of incidents that unfolded on the evening of Saturday, March 15, according to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office. It all started around 5:52 p.m. when deputies responded to a disturbance on Almond Drive. Witnesses reported that Reid was screaming, throwing items out of a home, and causing property damage. When deputies arrived, they found shattered glass littering th…

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by Zak Failla
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